The race to fund the government is on

It’s three days until a potential government shutdown and Republicans are still charting a path forward to head off the looming crisis.

GOP leaders negotiated Tuesday with the conservative House Freedom Caucus to try to convince them a two-week must-pass spending bill that leaders are advocating won’t lead to the conservative group being jammed by a second pre-Christmas spending bill chalk full of controversial policy items.

Freedom Caucus members said they were primarily concerned that the two-week bill — which would fund the government through December 22 — would force them to later accept another short-term bill to keep the government open into the New Year that includes immigration policy, an Obamacare stabilization package and a variety of other supplemental spending right before members rush to get home for the winter holiday break.